Antonio Solano-Román
@jotasolano.bsky.social
Navigating data, design, and complex systems. Dataviz Designer @ Grafana Labs. Formerly at Flatiron Health. Sabeti Lab & Northeastern alum. 🇨🇷 migrante.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting about Observability. Not from the operational aspect, but from the sociotechnical one. I’ll dive into design and the humanistic inquiry of shaping captured data about the state of a system.
August 19, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting about Observability. Not from the operational aspect, but from the sociotechnical one. I’ll dive into design and the humanistic inquiry of shaping captured data about the state of a system.
Oh hi. I work here now (week 3). How fun!
A product that (almost) everyone uses from mid-sized tech companies and up but I rarely hear talked about: Grafana
In The Pragmatic Engineer 2025 survey, it had more mentions than Cursor, and dominates as the answer to "how do you turn information into graphs"
This is Grafana:
In The Pragmatic Engineer 2025 survey, it had more mentions than Cursor, and dominates as the answer to "how do you turn information into graphs"
This is Grafana:
August 19, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Oh hi. I work here now (week 3). How fun!
The biggest irony in this whole story is FDA staffers bringing their own water to FDA offices because they don’t wanna catch Legionnaires’ disease.
apnews.com/article/fda-...
apnews.com/article/fda-...
March 19, 2025 at 4:39 PM
The biggest irony in this whole story is FDA staffers bringing their own water to FDA offices because they don’t wanna catch Legionnaires’ disease.
apnews.com/article/fda-...
apnews.com/article/fda-...
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
Wife was a probationary employee let go over the weekend. She was a researcher with CMMI. If anyone has leads on jobs for a PhD social science researcher with an expertise in Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance, please let me know!
February 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Wife was a probationary employee let go over the weekend. She was a researcher with CMMI. If anyone has leads on jobs for a PhD social science researcher with an expertise in Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance, please let me know!
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner and Chair of the FEC. There's a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn't it. I've been so fortunate to serve the American people and stir up some good trouble along the way. That's not changing anytime soon.
February 6, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner and Chair of the FEC. There's a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn't it. I've been so fortunate to serve the American people and stir up some good trouble along the way. That's not changing anytime soon.
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
Somewhere in the U.S., there’s a scientist staring at their NSF/NIH grant application wondering why they bother. This post is for you. Science and society both need you. Hang in there and know there is a whole community supporting you.
January 29, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Somewhere in the U.S., there’s a scientist staring at their NSF/NIH grant application wondering why they bother. This post is for you. Science and society both need you. Hang in there and know there is a whole community supporting you.
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
Use the Human Microbiome Compendium data!
We made the data and code available, & created a website and R package to navigate the compendium. Links:
- Website: microbiomap.org
- Data: zenodo.org/records/1373...
- R package: blekhmanlab.github.io/MicroBioMap/
- Code: github.com/blekhmanlab/...
We made the data and code available, & created a website and R package to navigate the compendium. Links:
- Website: microbiomap.org
- Data: zenodo.org/records/1373...
- R package: blekhmanlab.github.io/MicroBioMap/
- Code: github.com/blekhmanlab/...
January 24, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Use the Human Microbiome Compendium data!
We made the data and code available, & created a website and R package to navigate the compendium. Links:
- Website: microbiomap.org
- Data: zenodo.org/records/1373...
- R package: blekhmanlab.github.io/MicroBioMap/
- Code: github.com/blekhmanlab/...
We made the data and code available, & created a website and R package to navigate the compendium. Links:
- Website: microbiomap.org
- Data: zenodo.org/records/1373...
- R package: blekhmanlab.github.io/MicroBioMap/
- Code: github.com/blekhmanlab/...
It dawned on me that all the designers of my new core team are Latinos/Spanish. One Colombian and one Mexican living in Dublin. One Spaniard in Boston, and myself (Costa Rican) living in Virginia. Our boss is Irish born, but honorary Latino at this point. They’re all superb designers.
How lovely 🥰
How lovely 🥰
January 16, 2025 at 3:59 AM
It dawned on me that all the designers of my new core team are Latinos/Spanish. One Colombian and one Mexican living in Dublin. One Spaniard in Boston, and myself (Costa Rican) living in Virginia. Our boss is Irish born, but honorary Latino at this point. They’re all superb designers.
How lovely 🥰
How lovely 🥰
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
I fear there is deep truth here.
January 11, 2025 at 8:47 PM
I fear there is deep truth here.
People think of WhatsApp as a messaging app, but entire economies run on it. In the global south many business don’t have websites, they have WhatsApp contacts and many transactions are possible thanks to it
January 11, 2025 at 9:22 PM
People think of WhatsApp as a messaging app, but entire economies run on it. In the global south many business don’t have websites, they have WhatsApp contacts and many transactions are possible thanks to it
So are we also leaving IG? I don’t use FB, and I can’t stop using WhatsApp because that’s how I communicate with my entire family and friends, but as a Latino, queer, immigrant using meta services feels just plain wrong.
January 11, 2025 at 9:13 PM
So are we also leaving IG? I don’t use FB, and I can’t stop using WhatsApp because that’s how I communicate with my entire family and friends, but as a Latino, queer, immigrant using meta services feels just plain wrong.
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
Network of the day. From: Pitts, "Graph theoretical approach to historical geography" (1965)
January 11, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Network of the day. From: Pitts, "Graph theoretical approach to historical geography" (1965)
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
after days of grifters and con men at CES we stumbled upon the booth for VLC. they were all dressed as wizards and told us, "we have nothing to sell, we just decided to show up". i told them I'd been using their software to pirate media for 15 years and they said "keep doing that"
January 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
after days of grifters and con men at CES we stumbled upon the booth for VLC. they were all dressed as wizards and told us, "we have nothing to sell, we just decided to show up". i told them I'd been using their software to pirate media for 15 years and they said "keep doing that"
It’s crazy how good the quality of phone cameras is today. I took this on an iPhone 16 Pro in RAW 12 format using the default Photo app and only tweaked it a bit. I didn’t even use a tripod, I just laid flat and held the phone on my face 😂
My Micro 4/3rds Olympus cannot do this.
My Micro 4/3rds Olympus cannot do this.
December 31, 2024 at 11:54 PM
It’s crazy how good the quality of phone cameras is today. I took this on an iPhone 16 Pro in RAW 12 format using the default Photo app and only tweaked it a bit. I didn’t even use a tripod, I just laid flat and held the phone on my face 😂
My Micro 4/3rds Olympus cannot do this.
My Micro 4/3rds Olympus cannot do this.
Dear #accessibility folk. A family member has hearing loss that cannot be aided with ear devices.
I’m looking for a handheld device that can live transcribe a conversation in SPANISH so that they can read what others are saying. So far the closest I’ve found is a recorder from iFLYTECH. Ideas?
I’m looking for a handheld device that can live transcribe a conversation in SPANISH so that they can read what others are saying. So far the closest I’ve found is a recorder from iFLYTECH. Ideas?
December 31, 2024 at 5:22 PM
Dear #accessibility folk. A family member has hearing loss that cannot be aided with ear devices.
I’m looking for a handheld device that can live transcribe a conversation in SPANISH so that they can read what others are saying. So far the closest I’ve found is a recorder from iFLYTECH. Ideas?
I’m looking for a handheld device that can live transcribe a conversation in SPANISH so that they can read what others are saying. So far the closest I’ve found is a recorder from iFLYTECH. Ideas?
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
1/ Influenza wastewater activity levels are currently low across the US, aside from conspicuous areas in CA where #H5N1 is spreading in dairy cows.
A deeper dive into the Wastewater Scan data paints a very concerning picture and should add to our sense of urgency.
A deeper dive into the Wastewater Scan data paints a very concerning picture and should add to our sense of urgency.
November 26, 2024 at 10:06 PM
1/ Influenza wastewater activity levels are currently low across the US, aside from conspicuous areas in CA where #H5N1 is spreading in dairy cows.
A deeper dive into the Wastewater Scan data paints a very concerning picture and should add to our sense of urgency.
A deeper dive into the Wastewater Scan data paints a very concerning picture and should add to our sense of urgency.
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
It takes courage and integrity not to be co-opted into systems of injustice. As public health and science come under attack, I have profound respect—even reverence—for those who choose to RESIST and keep fighting for truth and what is right.
#ProtectPublicHealth #Resist
#ProtectPublicHealth #Resist
November 24, 2024 at 8:01 PM
It takes courage and integrity not to be co-opted into systems of injustice. As public health and science come under attack, I have profound respect—even reverence—for those who choose to RESIST and keep fighting for truth and what is right.
#ProtectPublicHealth #Resist
#ProtectPublicHealth #Resist
This is a lovely thread. I invite you to read it. There is actual discourse happening. Holy shit I haven’t seen this in a social media app in years.
Also design as a practice is political too - maybe I need to write a thread about that bc so many of you don’t want to admit that either
Also design as a practice is political too - maybe I need to write a thread about that bc so many of you don’t want to admit that either
When I was 5, I loved science, which I took to be planets and magnets and chemicals and shit.
Soon I realized science was a collective human activity, and these were just the objects of its attention.
Anyway, whenever I read an OpEd on how science isn't political, I think "Are you 5 years old?"
Soon I realized science was a collective human activity, and these were just the objects of its attention.
Anyway, whenever I read an OpEd on how science isn't political, I think "Are you 5 years old?"
November 22, 2024 at 12:42 PM
This is a lovely thread. I invite you to read it. There is actual discourse happening. Holy shit I haven’t seen this in a social media app in years.
Also design as a practice is political too - maybe I need to write a thread about that bc so many of you don’t want to admit that either
Also design as a practice is political too - maybe I need to write a thread about that bc so many of you don’t want to admit that either
I've just deactivated my X account. I also have a number of new followers so time for a re-intro:
Hello, I'm Antonio. I'm a product and information designer. Come here for cat pics, hot takes on soup, design ethics, design for data-intensive apps, and the occasional music rec.
Hello, I'm Antonio. I'm a product and information designer. Come here for cat pics, hot takes on soup, design ethics, design for data-intensive apps, and the occasional music rec.
November 17, 2024 at 8:37 PM
I've just deactivated my X account. I also have a number of new followers so time for a re-intro:
Hello, I'm Antonio. I'm a product and information designer. Come here for cat pics, hot takes on soup, design ethics, design for data-intensive apps, and the occasional music rec.
Hello, I'm Antonio. I'm a product and information designer. Come here for cat pics, hot takes on soup, design ethics, design for data-intensive apps, and the occasional music rec.
Isn't this fun: Notion limits free accounts to 1000 blocks for accounts with shared content. A "block" is some sort of made up unit of content. Deleting content doesn't reduce the # of blocks. It's a cumulative number and so you either kick your guests or can't create more content. Very dirty move
November 16, 2024 at 12:06 AM
Isn't this fun: Notion limits free accounts to 1000 blocks for accounts with shared content. A "block" is some sort of made up unit of content. Deleting content doesn't reduce the # of blocks. It's a cumulative number and so you either kick your guests or can't create more content. Very dirty move
Reposted by Antonio Solano-Román
Seeing a lot of "UX design for AI" roles opening - as though tech realized that no one wants their shitty chatbots for their own sake and is scrambling to find people who make stuff users like (that they laid off in droves in 2023)
November 14, 2024 at 7:04 PM
Seeing a lot of "UX design for AI" roles opening - as though tech realized that no one wants their shitty chatbots for their own sake and is scrambling to find people who make stuff users like (that they laid off in droves in 2023)
Been routinely grabbing a bite weekly at Tatte before my piano lessons and the soups are surprisingly tasty. Today’s chicken soup stands out for the addition of fennel (a personal favorite) and Cannellini beans.
Follow me for more soup reviews
Follow me for more soup reviews
November 13, 2024 at 12:07 AM
Been routinely grabbing a bite weekly at Tatte before my piano lessons and the soups are surprisingly tasty. Today’s chicken soup stands out for the addition of fennel (a personal favorite) and Cannellini beans.
Follow me for more soup reviews
Follow me for more soup reviews
The new information architecture and especially the organization system (whatever it is) of the iOS Photos app is so disorienting. How are “Recent Days”, “Albums”, and “Pinned Collections” siblings? 💀
November 12, 2024 at 11:57 PM
The new information architecture and especially the organization system (whatever it is) of the iOS Photos app is so disorienting. How are “Recent Days”, “Albums”, and “Pinned Collections” siblings? 💀
Looking for great books or resources on Information Architecture (other than the polar bear book). Send your recs! #design #ia #information
November 12, 2024 at 2:56 AM
Looking for great books or resources on Information Architecture (other than the polar bear book). Send your recs! #design #ia #information